The True Christian Keeps God’s Word

06Mar

“But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him.” I John 2:5 NASB

The second by this we know statement from John is about keeping God’s word. John states here that “Whoever keeps God’s word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected.” When we keep God’s word, it is a sign that the love of God has been perfected in us. It is not God’s love that has been perfected, it is ours. John stated in I John 4:8 that “God is love,” therefore, His love is perfect. Man’s love, however, is in great need of being perfected.

Prior to entering into fellowship with God through the atoning sacrifice of Christ we were enemies of God. Our choice of the world and sin above God proved that we had no love towards Him. Jesus said in John 3:19, “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.” The proof of whom you love is whom you choose to walk with. Jesus also said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” He didn’t say “If you keep My commandments you will prove your love for me.” Rather, He said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” If we love Jesus, we will obey Him, if we don’t love Jesus we will care less about His commandments and will not obey Him.

Be reminded that John said in the first chapter that “God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.” ( I John 1:5). He continued to explain that if we say we are walking in the light yet we are walking in the darkness we are liars. In other words, if we are walking in sin we are not walking with God. I John 2:2 says, “The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” Then he explained in I John 1:7 that if we are walking in the Light, as God is in the Light, we have fellowship with Him. Oil and water doesn’t mix; nor does God and sin.

The key word in I John 1:5 is walk. Walking portrays the pattern and consistency of one’s life. If the walk is consistently in darkness, it is not in the light. If the walk is consistently in the Light, his fellowship is with God. Paul said in I Corinthians 6:9-10, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” The drunkard is not one who has been drunk a time or two in his life, rather, drunkenness is the defining factor of his life; he is a drunkard. The people Paul lists are people whose lives are identified by sin. They walk in darkness therefore, they are a drunkard or whatever the defining sin is in their life. Paul said they would not inherit the kingdom of God therefore, they clearly are not saved. They are unsaved by their own choice. Their choice was that they loved darkness rather than light. They have chosen the lusts of their own flesh over the love and grace of God.

However, for those who realize the error of their way and repent of their sin, God offers forgiveness. I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” After Paul declared, the unrighteous would not inherit the kingdom of God in I Corinthians 6:9-10, he said in the next verse, “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” These chose God over sin. They loved God more than sin. Therefore, they repented of their sin and trusted in Jesus.

God loves us perfectly. For this reason, He sent His Son to become an atoning sacrifice for our sin. When we come to the point where we realize our sin is at odds with God and choose God over sin, we ask Him by faith to forgive us of our sin knowing that by the authority of His Word and the power of the blood of Jesus He can and will. God then gives us His Holy Spirit that writes His Word on our heart to perfect our love for Him, and by this, we know we are in Him.

Keeping His word, living in obedience, and walking in the Light is not the means to salvation, it is the proof of salvation. It is the evidence that God is at work in our lives perfecting us in Him and for Him. When we turn to Jesus and trust in Him by faith, we are saying to Him that we love Him more than self and sin and are willing to surrender ourselves unto Him. When we take this step of faith, we give God permission to work His perfection into our lives. Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” If God is not at work in you, you will have no will to work for His good pleasure. In fact, working or living for His pleasure would be utter foolishness to you. However, if we love God enough to keep His word, “by this we know that we are in Him” for, His work of perfect love has been enacted.